Copyright

Copyright is about ownership, eg: of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, such as a book, play, song or painting. In theory, some things cannot be copyrighted, such as a surgical operation or a way of doing business. However, there are exceptions to every rule: a surgeon in the USA has copyrighted a particular eye operation and Amazon has copyrighted its 'one click' method of doing business.
Initially, the author of a work is the copyright owner, but ownership can be sold or transferred to someone else. Copyright on books etc. normally lasts for seventy years after the death of the author. Sound recordings are usually protected for fifty years. However, this is not always the case. You can obtain more information at:
Is4Profit
The Patent Office
Copyright Licensing Agency
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988